Pat ent



y UNITED s' STATES ram om@ JOHN L. wAGNEItOE rrEEEE HAUTE, INDIANA, AssIcNOE OE 'rwOTHIEDs To THoMrKINs A. LEwIs, OE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AND EENEY DUvALL, OE NEw'YOEK, N. Y.

OARTDOOR EASTENEE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent` o. 293,124, dated February 5, 1884.

Application Iled July 1Q, 1883. (No model.)

lo all whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that- I, JOHN L. WAGNER, of

the city of Terre Haute, county of Vigo, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new 5 and useful Improvements in CarDoor Fast-` the following is a specificai or other structure, with whichthe cranks on the ends of said rod will engage, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

My invention is especially designed for use in connection with refrigerator-cars, such cars 2o being usually provided with thick swinging doors, which,.in order that the cars maybe kept vof the proper temperature, it is neces sary should be shut very tight.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are Inade a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure lis a side elevation of a oar having doors provided with iny said invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional view, looking downwardly from the dotted line e on an enlarged scale, the doorsbeing closed, Fig. 3, a similar view, the doors being partly open; Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view, looking to the right from the dotted line I/ y; Fig. 5, a

3 5 detail view of a portion of Fig. 4 on astill further enlarged scale, Fig. G, a view` similar to ,I Fig. 5, except that the crank is shown as turned around and disengaged from the catch; and Fig. 7, a perspective view of substantially Agt-he parts shown by Fig. 5.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the car-body; B B', the doors; and C, the crank-rod,which is the main feature of my improved fastener. The` car A is constructed, generally, in the ordinary manner, or in any manner suitable to adapt it to its pur poses. Itis provided with the catches a a, with which the ends of the rod G engage. The `doors B B are preferably the heavy hinged 5o doors ordinarily used with refrigerator-cars,

`rendering the 4car practically air-tight.

and one of said doors has bearings for therod i. C. It will be understood, of course, that double doors are shown simply-.as illustrative of the usual manner of applying my invention, and that it can be equally as well applied to a single door, if desired, the front edge ofthe door B simply serving as a jamb forV the door B so far as my invention is con-` cerned in the construction shown. rIhe rod C is mounted in bearings on the` door B, and 6o has cranks c upon its ends, which are adapted to engage with 'the catches a on the oar-body and secure `the doors in closed position.` Said rod is also `provided with a handle, C, by which itis thrown around from one position to another. Vhen the door is in closed position this handle is adapted to engage with the `staple c on the door B, (or on the side of the car, if no second door is employed,) and be there secured by a pin, b', or a lock. The 7o handle -is so arranged. in relation to the cranks that when said handle is swung around against thedoorB said cranks pass somewhatbeyond a position at right angles with the face of the car, as shown most plainly in Fig.- 2,

and thus, being held from any Outward movement by the catches a, exert a cam force upon the doors, which drives them tightly shut. These cranks can also be arranged, as shown,

to come in contact with that portion of the 8O car-body immediat-ely behind them, or iron plates thereon, 4and thus as said rod is started around in the reverse direction, in order that the door may be opened, will start said door slightly from its close contact with its `jambs 8 5 and with the other door, and render the labor of opening. said door much less than if handforce alone had to be relied on.

In operation, after the'doors are swung shut,

the operator throws the handle C around from 9o the position shown by Fig. 3 to that shown by Fig. 2, which carries the cranks around the points of the catches a, and, finally, into the position shown by Fig. 2, forcing the doors closely shut, and,when said doors and the other 9 5 portions of the car are properly constructed, In opening vthe operation is simply reversed, as above specified.

Having thus fully described my said inven- Ico tion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure I 3. The combination ofthe car, catches there by Letters Patent, is;- Y I on, the doors mounted on hinges, the crank- 1. The combination, with :L dooi1 and its rod, the cranks thereon, and thehandletherejambs, of a crank-rod mounted on said door, for, substantially as shown and specied. 15

5 and catches secured to said jambs, with which In Witness whereof I have hereuntoset my the cranks of said rod are adapted to engage, hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this substantially as described, and for the pur- 9th day of July, A. l). 1883. poses speciiied. JOHN L. WAGNER. [L s] 2. The combination of the ciu: A, having In'prcsence of- 1o catches a a, the hinged door B, and the rod C, E. W. BRADFORD,

having cranks c c, substantially as set fort-h. OHAs. L. THURBER. 

